L’Homme Presse makes his eagerly-awaited return in Sunday’s Fleur De Lys Chase (3.00), taking on five rivals at Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival, live on Sky Sports Racing.
The card includes the competitive Lightning Novices’ Chase which has been rescheduled from Friday’s meeting and that is a real bonus on top of what was already a good card.
The Fleur De Lys Chase sees the return of L’Homme Presse, his first run since being unseated at the final fence in last season’s King George.
Protektorat
Jockey: Harry Skelton / Trainer: Dan Skelton
Protektorat hasn’t quite reached the heights of his success in the 2022 Betfair Chase since, when he dominated the Grade 1 contest. His form figures since then of 4543 suggesting that he may have regressed slightly. There were some signs of a return to form when he attempted to carry a welter burden in a handicap last time at Cheltenham, off a mark of 165.
That would not be enough to beat a peak-form L’Homme Presse, but it would be substantially better than the form of the others in here. The trainer has targeted this race, and he will definitely be better than his disappointing fourth of four in the Betfair Chase this season, when the yard’s horses needed the run.
He travels well so the drop to 2m 6f shouldn’t really pose any problem to him and he looks the prime candidate to pick up the pieces if L’Homme Presse isn’t at his best.
Does He Know
Jockey: David Bass / Trainer: Kim Bailey
Does He Know boasts an impressive strike-rate over fences. While he has been well placed, he has also been very consistent for the most part, resulting in form figures of 11210F13P. He has only finished outside the first three on two occasions when completing over fences and there may have been excuses for the latest of those when the yard was really struggling.
They are still not firing in the winners but did at least have a few horses run well last weekend. He comes off third-best here on ratings and that is probably where I see him fitting in. While unlikely to trouble the top two, he looks marginally best of the remainder.
He might find this a little sharp for him nowadays and I wonder if there is a handicap down the line as his target. One to watch with interest, perhaps.
Iwilldoit
Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies / Trainer: Sam Thomas
Although he is now 11-years-old, Iwilldoit is very lightly raced, especially over fences after just seven career starts. He is another that boasts an excellent strike-rate with four wins and a place from those seven starts. He is a former Welsh National winner in 2022, from 6lb out of the handicap under a 4lb penalty.
That win came off a racing mark of 140, and he returned to the race this year off a mark of 153 to finish a very respectable third in this season’s Welsh National. Given his best form has come over marathon distances, he might find things happening a little bit too quick for him here, especially given the quality of opposition.
He is still entitled to fight out the battle for third, but this may be seen as more of a prep for another tilt at a staying handicap in the Spring.
L’Homme Presse
Jockey: Charlie Deutsch / Trainer: Venetia Williams
L’Homme Presse makes his eagerly awaited return since unseating at the final fence when looking set to finish a gallant second to Bravemansgame in the 2022 King George, almost thirteen months ago. He has six wins from eight starts over fences, with his only other defeat a forgivable one at Aintree, just three weeks after his Cheltenham Festival success in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
He has looked progressive throughout his chasing career and returned last season with a handicap success off 164, prior to that excellent run in the King George. The Kempton effort worthy of marking up considering he jumped left throughout. While the absence since is somewhat of a concern, he has had numerous entries this season suggesting he should be ready now and his record fresh on a racecourse reads a perfect 111.
Full Back
Jockey: Niall Houlihan / Trainer: Gary Moore
Full Back is returning from an even longer absence having not appeared on a racecourse since November 2022. On that occasion he was pulled up in a handicap chase at Fontwell off a mark of 137 and I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that leaves him with plenty to do in this company, especially with a pair of genuine Grade 1 horses among the opposition.
His best piece of form over fences is probably his Cheltenham win on New Year’s Day 2022, when he took the 3m 2f handicap. That came off a mark of 135 and he has never really progressed from that.
He was well beaten in that season’s Ultima and while he only had the two starts the following season prior to his absence, he is starting to look slightly regressive.
Highland Hunter
Jockey: Paddy Brennan / Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
The second 11-year-old in the line-up who arrives here off the back of an early unseat in the Becher Chase at Aintree in December. Prior to that, he was second to Elvis Mail at Kelso over 3m 2f. He is another whose best form has come over further than this distance and in lesser grades than what he faces here.
He could play an important role though as he looks to be the pace angle in the race and should ensure a truly run affair to make this a sufficient test at the trip. Just like the other three outsiders he has plenty to find on form and is relying on both Protektorat and L’Homme Presse underperforming.
James’ Verdict
This race sets up very much as a match between the proven Grade 1 performers, Protektorat and L’Homme Presse. While Protektorat is very likely to run his race, preference is for the former who may have a class edge if able to produce his best form after his absence.
There are positives in that regard though, especially his immaculate racecourse record when fresh. He has also had plenty of entries already this season which suggests he has been ready to run for a while. Given that we are only eight weeks away from a potential Gold Cup bid, it is highly unlikely that connections have left him undercooked for this belated return.
While I am not sure I want to be taking prohibitive odds on his return, I certainly don’t want to back Protektorat in the hope that L’homme Presse is not at his best (that is a very poor betting strategy in my opinion). I’m not really an odds-on player but I could be tempted if 4/5 became available about L’Homme Presse.
Watch every race from Lingfield on Sky Sports Racing on Sunday January 21.
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